Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is under fire from critics after her comments regarding historically black colleges and universities.
In a statement, DeVos praised HBCUs as being 'pioneers' for school choice 'since their founding.'
She praised the schools for taking action after the system was identified as 'an absence of opportunity.'
"They started from the fact that there were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education," she said of the schools.
"HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice. They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality."
Her statement triggered backlash among HBCU supporters and leaders as her statements failed to acknowledge the original creation of HBCUs were due to black students being barred from attending schools during Jim Crow laws in the American South.
U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, called the statement "tone-deaf" and "uninformed," noting that for many years, HBCUs were the "only option."
DeVos backpedaled during a luncheon for HBCU presidents at a luncheon on Tuesday.
“Bucking that status quo, and providing an alternative option to students denied the right to attend a quality school is the legacy of HBCUs,” she said, according to prepared remarks. “But your history was born, not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the Civil War.”
DeVos also acknowledged her sentiments on Twitter.
HBCUs are in Washington, urging the administration for more funding. The Trump administration is expected to reveal a new executive order related to funding and federal support that advocates call "among the most progressive partnerships between the White House and HBCUs in decades," according to HBCU Digest.

WASHINGTON —

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is under fire from critics after her comments regarding historically black colleges and universities.

In a statement, DeVos praised HBCUs as being 'pioneers' for school choice 'since their founding.'

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She praised the schools for taking action after the system was identified as 'an absence of opportunity.'

"They started from the fact that there were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education," she said of the schools.

"HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice. They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality."

Her statement triggered backlash among HBCU supporters and leaders as her statements failed to acknowledge the original creation of HBCUs were due to black students being barred from attending schools during Jim Crow laws in the American South.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, called the statement "tone-deaf" and "uninformed," noting that for many years, HBCUs were the "only option."

Tone-deaf, uninformed statement from DeVos. #HBCUs weren’t “more options” for black students – for many years, they were the ONLY option. pic.twitter.com/fD58rXpHIt

DeVos backpedaled during a luncheon for HBCU presidents at a luncheon on Tuesday.

“Bucking that status quo, and providing an alternative option to students denied the right to attend a quality school is the legacy of HBCUs,” she said, according to prepared remarks. “But your history was born, not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the Civil War.”

DeVos also acknowledged her sentiments on Twitter.

Providing an alternative option to students denied the right to attend a quality school is the legacy of #HBCUs.

HBCUs are in Washington, urging the administration for more funding. The Trump administration is expected to reveal a new executive order related to funding and federal support that advocates call "among the most progressive partnerships between the White House and HBCUs in decades," according to HBCU Digest.